North American International Autoshow

Hey yo,

Trying to see if this method of sharing photos work.

Pictures of my future garage is there, enjoy. If you meet any glitches please let me know via the 'Comments' section below, gracias.

NAIAS zip file.
The link is now defunct. Let me know through other means if you want the photos.

Side note: To the umich pple, if you're interested in sharing your photos in a similar fashion,

http://afs.umich.edu -> websites

Love

Its V Day + 1. Wanted to post something on Vday itself but oh well, like you really care eh? -)

So, I want to talk about love today, not so much about what I know but rather what I dont.


What is Love?

But if anyone were to ask, "Eh JS, are you in Love?", I would say yes because I feel I am -in Love-. But how do I know my idea of -Love- is Love, or that the dood who asked me the question has the same notion of Love as I do? Love, even when confined to the context of BGR, can have so many different interpretations. Some people think Love is about the sweet nothings couples whisper to one another, some think its more about the words that need not be said. Some see Love as a sense of security, some see it as a path to escape from reality. Some feel that Love is only worth making*blink*, yet some feel Love is in a realm far, far beyond physical attraction. Then again, some see Love in a car plate(if you dont geddit, you werent meant to), Love in a diamond ring or even in a simple flower. I dont know what Love is, do you?

Why Love?

Why do we all look for Love? Granted, most of us are also looking for money, friends, donations.... etc etc, but we know exactly what those things are. Why are we searching high and low for something we know nothing about? Why do we feel empty when we cant find it and how does Love fill the gaps? Why do so many people say that Love "completes" them, that it makes them whole? How can you be "filled" not knowing what it is that filled you? I admit, she does make me feel complete, but the funny thing is, I do not know why.

Does it Matter?

So many things I dont know about Love, and yet I hold on to it so dearly. Maybe understanding what Love is isnt a prerequisite to loving someone. Maybe Love does not need a reason. Maybe its an instinct, a primal need. Or maybe it is not meant to be understood. You know how knowing why some things happen make them a little less beautiful? Like how magic tricks seem so much cooler before you find out how they work? Maybe not knowing what Love is is what makes it so beautiful.

Charity

This wont be much of a blog post but more of an advertisement, feel free to skim if you're not in Michigan right now. If, on the other hand, you are one of those dudes/doodettes in Michigan, read on.

I am offering a chauffeur service to you.

-chauf·feur: Pronunciation Key (shfr, sh-fûr), n. :One employed to drive a private automobile.

If you need a fast/comfortable/reliable/cheap* ride to places like Briarwood, Showcase, China Merc or to any hotels/caves/trees in and around Ann Arbor, give me a call and hop aboard the Chari-TT.

Now.

*100% of all donations go to UMDM

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Many of you already know, I am deeply involved in our University's Dance Marathon(www.umdm.org for more info). An organization which aims to raise funds to help lighten the financial load of parents whos children need pediatric rehabilitation.

-Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics or pædiatrics) is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents (from newborn to age 18 or 19).

-Rehabilitation is the restoration of lost capabilities, or the treatment aimed at producing it.

Initially, I joined DM because the 30-hr marathon sounded like great fun and an experience of a lifetime. I have to admit, they did some great marketing. But as I got more involved with DM, I realized that the marathon is really only half the story. Its not the crazy dance parties or happening dance lessons which I envisioned, till now, we-have-not-danced/practised/do ANYTHING wild/exciting(save Touchdown! High-fives to those who noe what I'm talking about). What we have been doing so far is much more mundane, planning events for the families and their children, bucketing in the cold, visiting families at their homes, sorting through trash for bottles etc... Point is, the name Dance Marathon and the 30-h marathon is really nothing more than a marketing gimmick to sucker college students like myself. The focus of the organization is in fact, the children. The thought that they had to resort to such methods to get people to help needy children is really something we should think about. Or, at least, its something I've been thinking about. Does charity have to be decorated in glitter and colored paper for people to take notice? Should we wait for someone to ask before we decide to help? Do we have to be told?

- char·i·ty: Pronunciation Key (chr-t) n.: Benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.

Whats sad, is that its all true. If there was no marathon, I probably would not have joined. How many would have donated if we hadnt asked? Dont misunderstand me, I am eternally grateful to all who've pitched in and thats almost all of you guys here in mich. What I'm trying to say is that we are all motivated by questions like "how to score on the exams", "does this look good on the resume", "where to go for dinner", "what to do tonight", but when was the last time we asked "who needs our help". Charity, it seems, is not one of our priorities in life. It would be almost weird/unnatural for us to go out looking for people to help just because we 'feel like it', but its perfectly natural to donate if someone asks. It is simply not in our system to be charitable without any stimulus, and I think thats sad.

Is that who we want to become, or rather, is that who we already are?